A car’s dashboard helps you calibrate various gauges and measurements. The most important among these measurements is the odometer reading in a car. An odometer is classified as mechanical or electronic. However, reading them would be simpler than ever as experts from ‘The Auto Parts Shop’ have come up with guidelines for you:
What is an Odometer & How It Works?
The distance covered by the vehicle is generally calibrated using an odometer that is present on the vehicle. The word “Odometer” is made of two words that signify path and measure.No matter how many miles you have covered, one can reset a standard odometer without any hassle. This helps you check the average gas mileage of your car.
Ways to Check the Odometer Reading
Mechanical Odometer
The mechanical odometer comes with a few cogs and has numerical digits. As the transmission starts working, the odometer starts performing its job and has been attached to it.
Getting the odometer reading in a car with a mechanic is a complex task. It has a drive cable attached to the gear, and the other end has an instrument cluster. As the car moves, the transmission starts moving, and the drive cable alters the digits present on the odometer. The numbers move to their peak value before getting back to 0 and starting again. Reading the mechanical numbers is a task as they’re slightly off-centre.
Electrical Odometer
The electrical odometer is the recent advancement in car technology and moves via the electrical system. It has a special gear instead of a drive cable that helps us calibrate the mileage. It is the magnetic sensor that helps us determine how the gear moves with the transmission. You can take the reading as the numbers flash on the dashboard electronically.
The electrical one is more precise than the mechanical one as the alterations can be performed without any hassle.
Why Does Odometer Reading Matter?
The number of vehicles the car has covered can be calibrated using an odometer. This measurement is generally kept in mind while someone plans to purchase a car and is a significant aspect of the car value. The vehicle’s pricing generally depends on car, condition, and mileage. The less the mileage, the higher the car’s resale value.
How to Calibrate Fuel Economy Using an Odometer?
Perform the following steps to measure the fuel economy using an odometer:
1. When you fill the gas tank, try to reset the odometer.
2. Drive regularly before filling up the tank for the next time.
3. Ensure that you’re aware of the number of gallons with trip mileage since it was last filled up. The number of miles you’ve covered helps you determine the gallons of gas consumed by the car.
4. Divide the number of miles with the number of gallons used. For instance, if someone has covered 300 miles in 10 gallons of fuel, the average fuel economy will be 30 mpg.
5. It would be best to calibrate the mileage of the entire fuel tank to determine the appropriate mileage. You can perform the test numerous times to get the best average.
Can Odometer Reading Be Wrong?
Sometimes the odometer might show the wrong reading. If you have a mechanical odometer check, it periodically to ensure that it gives the correct mileage. If you want to obtain information about the distance you’ve covered, your odometer must calibrate it accurately.
If the odometer doesn’t work as expected, a little mistake might add up quickly. The car starts showing more miles even before it has started and drops down the car’s resale value. If it has started giving wrong readings, take it to a qualified mechanic for an odometer reading.
What Do You Mean By Odometer Roll Back?
Dishonest individuals tend to roll back the odometer to show that their vehicle has covered a few miles. The mechanical version is easy to roll back, and criminals know how to do it by applying minimum effort.
The Bottom Line
The odometer plays a significant role in calibrating miles inside the car. Issues with the odometer must be rectified sooner to get the exact reading.